The first Democratic debate was last night! If you didn’t have time to watch, check out my recap below:
How do the candidates sell themselves?
Lincoln Chafee: Chafee stresses that he’s the only candidate to have served as mayor, senator, and governor; he has almost thirty years of experience in public service. He presents himself as a man with good judgment who has avoided scandal – a “proven peacemaker.”
Hillary Clinton: Clinton is the only female candidate, and presents herself as a woman who is willing to use her voice to support other women. She says she will campaign for equal pay for women and paid family leave. Clinton wants all of our children to live up to their “God-given” potential and claims her campaign is centered around figuring out how to increase wages outside of simply raising minimum wage. She presents herself as having the vision to making necessary changes and a proven track record to back it up.
Martin O’Malley: O’Malley is a candidate with fifteen years of executive experience, and stresses that he recognizes the economic, environmental, and social injustice in the country.
Bernie Sanders: Sanders presents himself as a candidate ready and willing to take back the government from the 1%. He also went on the record to state that black lives matter. Sanders considers the United States an “international embarrassment” as the only major country that doesn’t provide paid medical and family leave.
Jim Webb: Webb sees himself as a well-rounded man with a family who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps; he also spent more than half of his professional life outside of politics. He claims that he is always willing to take on complicated, unpopular, and complex issues.
Voter Concerns Regarding the Candidates
Lincoln Chafee: Voters are concerned that he was previously registered as a Republican and then as an Independent, having been registered as a Democrat for about two years. He claims that he is a block of granite on the core issues. Anderson Cooper’s response? “Seems like pretty soft granite to me.” He insists that he has never wavered on issues like gay marriage, fiscal responsibility, and a woman’s right to choose, then described himself as a “liberal moderate Republican.”
Hillary Clinton: Voters are concerned that she consistently changes her political opinions for votes – for example, with the issue of same-sex marriage. Clinton refutes that “I have been very consistent over the course of my entire life.” When asked if she is a progressive or a moderate, she states that she is a “progressive who likes to get things done.”
Martin O’Malley: He touts his record as Baltimore’s mayor – and voters are concerned about the 1015 Baltimore Riots. O’Malley says he ran for mayor of Baltimore in 1999 because it was most violent city in America, and promised to turn it around. Although there have been setbacks, he claims he has saved a vast amount of young, poor, black lives.
Bernie Sanders: A Gallop poll says that half the country would not put a socialist in the White House. Voters wonder how can a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist can hope to win. Sanders stated that “Democratic socialism” was about the 1% owning almost 90% of the land in a rigged economy. When asked if he considers himself a capitalist, he says he isn’t a “casino capitalist.” Sanders then stressed the need for a high voter turnout (which is unsurprising, given his young fan base.) Sanders stated that we need to be more like the Nordic countries – to which Clinton replied that she loves Denmark, but we are not Denmark. She wants to reign in the excesses of capitalism but doesn’t support socialism. Sanders replied that economic growth doesn’t matter if it just goes to the 1%.
Jim Webb: He has called affirmative action “state sponsored racism” – but as half of the Democratic party is non-White, voters are concerned. He says that he has always supported affirmative action for African Americans because of their unique history in the United States with slavery and Jim Crow laws, but he objects to diversity programs for all people of color.
On Edward Snowden
Lincoln Chafee: Chafee would bring Snowden home as a hero, as federal courts have confirmed that the American government was acting illegally.
Hillary Clinton: Clinton stresses that Snowden broke laws when he could have been whistleblower and received government protection. He also stole important information that has since fell into the wrong hands.
Martin O’Malley: O’Malley claims that Snowden not only broke the law, but also put American lives at risk. “Whistleblowers do not run to Russia and try to get protection from Putin.”
Bernie Sanders: Although Snowden played important role in educating the American people, Sanders believes that he did break the law and there should be penalty. Still, his educational role should be taken into consideration.
Jim Webb: Webb dodged the question, saying he would leave the result to the “legal system.” He instead chose to stress that non-essential government surveillance footage should be destroyed after certain amount of time.
Candidates were asked to name one way their administration wouldn’t be a third term of Obama’s
Lincoln Chafee: Webb stated that we have to end the wars.
Hillary Clinton: Clinton immediately responded, “Well, I think that’s pretty obvious.” – as she would be a woman. She would like to build and expand on Obama’s successes, particular in tackling the issues of pharmaceutical companies and college tuition.
Martin O’Malley: O’Malley would protect the mainstream economy from Wall Street.
Bernie Sanders: Sanders stated that the power of corporate America is so great, the only way we can transform America is through political revolution.
Jim Webb: Webb would utilize his executive authority, emphasizing the need to energize the congressional process and work with both political parties in Congress.
Candidates were asked what enemy they were most proud of
Lincoln Chafee: The coal industry.
Hillary Clinton: The health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, the Iranians, the Republicans, and the NRA.
Martin O’Malley: The NRA.
Bernie Sanders: Wall Street and the pharmaceutical industry – although he stressed that he has many enemies.
Jim Webb: As a Vietnam veteran, he mentioned the soldier that wounded him with a grenade, “but he’s not around right now to talk to.”